Since Google Earth has a layer specifically devoted to UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world, I thought users might be interested in learning about ways to promote and preserve World Heritage sites, and how to enter a photo contest to win a free trip to a Mexican World Heritage site!

I just came across this great website that aims to protect World Heritage sites, and RIGHT NOW, Friends of World Heritage is sponsoring a photo contest with an absolutely amazing grand prize! Win a 10-day, all expenses paid trip for two to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, home to five World Heritage sites. Send Friends of World Heritage (www.friendsofworldheritage.org) your best shot from a World Heritage site and write a brief personal statement describing your experience to enter. No professionals can enter so people like you and I have a real chance!

I’ve already entered my photos from the Grand Canyon and Machu Pichu - best of luck!

From the Statue of Liberty to the Galapagos Islands to the Pyramids of Egypt, World Heritage sites are sources of life and inspiration. Friends of World Heritage is a grassroots initiative working to promote and preserve the 830 natural and cultural wonders designated as World Heritage sites for future generations to enjoy. Check to see if you’ve already been to one of the 830 sites worldwide and enter today!http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/

Get involved at www.friendsofworldheritage.org

Enviado por: geotreker at 5 de Enero 2007 a las 03:40 PM

Great work! I see this solution as optimal data mining for small AOI. We can make very hi-res images and use this with GE.

Is this a mirror of myself,
Am I somebody else,
I don't wanna be...everybody! (x2)

Enviado por: Borg at 5 de Enero 2007 a las 08:56 PM

THIS IS THE BEGGINING OF BIG BROTHER.HOW LONG UNTIL THEY ARE ASKING TO SEE INSIDE OUR HOMES.OUR BACKYARDS ARNT PRIVATE ANYMORE AND SOON NOTHING WIL BE.

Enviado por: imsad at 5 de Enero 2007 a las 08:57 PM

It is unclear to me if these images are really usable by Google Maps. To be of use for anything except pretty pictures, I think that aerial images need to be georeferenced...it must be possible to determine the lat and lon of every pixel in the image. Hanging a GPS on the plane is a start, but doing the actual georeferencing takes time and skill, and you have to know the lats and lons of some reference points on the ground. Planes, both model size and the real ones used for aerial photography, rock and roll during flight and this has to be accounted for afterward.

That song is rad, but seriously... this article is about google... use it.

Martin Solveig - Everybody

Enviado por: Orion at 5 de Enero 2007 a las 10:03 PM

I vote for worst song ever.

Enviado por: blah at 5 de Enero 2007 a las 10:41 PM

Amazing stuff.
It is amazing how quickly functional technology is being utilized today.
The problem is the utilization of such technology.
It can be used for good - say agriculture or weather forecasting in the 3rd world or instead to guide terrorist weapons simple and accurately for devastation and terror.

i wonder when someone will add a small HD camera to this... i own a sony HDv cam, and i wonder how much bigger a small RC plane has to be in order to to this with real HIGH REZ video... the pict'earth people do it with SD PAL equipment, but with HD one could have 6times the resolution, that would really awe me;-)

but respect for what they've done so far.

the cam has to be stabilized and higher rez in the future... RC planes are capable of doing this, the plane they use is pretty small, good for low cost, but bad for all other tech specs...

Enviado por: smokeonit at 6 de Enero 2007 a las 06:35 AM

UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are great platform for aquisition of Aerial Photograpy.

But there are few concerns...
1. It only works for small areas - limited
altitude and range
2. Stabilisation and georeferencing is a problem
3. Putting images togather is not easy without specialized software - creating moisac

regards
m.

Enviado por: izo at 6 de Enero 2007 a las 08:03 AM

From PictEarth staff
Hello we have been working on PictEarth for more than a year now.
First of all to answer technical questions : there is one video camera (low res) with images streamed down real time to the ground. This is what we use for live update. But a digital camera shoots 7 - 9 megapix images at the same time. In post process we get images from the camera. With these images we can go as low as 3 cm resolution.
Second point : we get a very good mosaic but for fine results images can be post processed. This has been our job for the past 5 years so we know what we are doing...
We can provide the full packaged solution : from the UAVs to the video goggles, software, fine correction services... to meet your exact needs.
We have worked so far on many applications : agriculture, archeology, indistrial areas, road surveillance...
If you have to fly bigger areas, we also offer a regular plane platform but often projects fit into the UAVs possibilities.
It is true that satellites do incredible job with very fine res, on big areas. But our idea is : how worth is the information if it is not fresh, if you do not control the source? Do you buy last month's news paper? How do you do if you need a regular update on a specific high value area? Do you buy a full Ikonos every week? This is where we stand : provide high temporal and spatial resolution on specific areas of interest.
All your critics, suggestions and projects are welcome